On a beautiful spring day, my girlfriend Loralei set out to do a moderate day hike nearby San Jose! We had a few different options, but ultimately settled on a loop in Almaden Quicksilver County Park called Webb Canyon, New Almaden, Cinnabar, Mine Hill, Randol and Prospect #3 Loop!
It was an amazing spring day, and it was actually a little warm out, but this hike made for a great short day on the trail! There are tons of great hikes in Almaden Quicksilver, so you will be spoilt for choice. Whatever hike you choose to do, you’ll be treated to fascinating history, great views, and smooth trails!
Miles/Elevation:
5.4 miles
830 feet vertical gain
About Almaden Quicksilver County Park:
Near the southern edge of San Jose, Almaden Quicksilver County Park is a fascinating combination of natural beauty and human history. Named for the mercury that was mined here, quicksilver is another name for the dangerous metal, this park has a long mining history!
First used by the native peoples of the region, large scale mercury mining really began here in the 1840’s, and by 1865, there were about 1,800 people living in what is now the county park! The mines here were so productive that “it became the richest mercury mine in North America and the most productive mine in California history!”
The mine was so crucial and so valuable because it was used in the refining of gold. If you’ve never taken a U.S. history course, the California Gold Rush was a pretty big deal here starting in the 1840’s!
Today, the park protects this rich history of mining and the people who came here to do it in a beautiful natural setting. Interspersed among the hills and ridges of the park are the ruins of mining towns, old shafts, as well as other infrastructure developed for the procurement of the metal!
First made into a park in 1976, Almaden Quicksilver now contains 37 miles of hiking trails that criss-cross the over 4,000 acres of the park. While hiking is my main interest, there are miles upon miles of trail open to horseback riding as well as mountain biking!
Be aware that this is mountain lion country, and while sightings are rare, you should be alert, especially if you bring small animals or children. And while the industrial mining operations are over, there is still enough mercury in the ground to contaminate the water here, so any fish caught should be released, not eaten, and don’t drink the water!
Getting To Almaden Quicksilver County Park:
Always be sure to follow the 7 Leave No Trace Principles when in the outdoors!
The park is very easily accessible from San Jose as some neighborhoods literally butt against the park boundaries. To access the trailhead on Webb Canyon, my recommendation is to just put Webb Canyon Trailhead into Google Maps and follow the directions. From downtown it is about a 20 minute drive. If coming from San Francisco, it is about a one hour drive.
There are a number of different trailheads on all sides of the park, so if you chose to do a different hike, there are lots of places to enter the park. Here is an excerpt from the park’s homepage.
“ The park may be accessed from three areas. The Mockingbird Hill entrance is accessed off Mockingbird Hill Lane. This entrance is accessible to all users, including bicyclists. From Highway 85, take the Almaden Expressway exit south 4.5 miles to Almaden Road. Proceed 0.5 miles on Almaden Road to Mockingbird Hill Lane, turn right and continue 0.4 miles to the parking area.
The Wood Road entrance is accessed off Wood Road. From Highway 85 take the Camden Avenue exit south. Turn right on Hicks Road and follow for 6 miles. At the intersection of Wood Road and Hicks Road, turn left into the staging area.
The Hacienda entrance is located at the south end of New Almaden. This entrance is accessible to all users, including bicyclists. From Almaden Expressway, proceed 3 miles along Almaden Road through the town of New Almaden to the unpaved staging area on the right.”
Webb Canyon, New Almaden, Cinnabar, Mine Hill, Randol and Prospect #3 Loop
The Webb Canyon Trail:
After parking your car somewhere on the road (there is no parking lot and some of the roadside parking is not open to the public), you’ll begin by hiking up the paved Webb Canyon Drive before veering right onto the Webb Canyon Trail. The paved section is actually quite a steep incline, but it’s pretty short.
Always follow basic trail etiquette when on trail!
Once on the dirt single track, you’ll pretty quickly get some nice views overlooking San Jose. The trailhead itself is already higher than most of the city, and you’ll have been climbing pretty much the whole time to this point. The Webb Canyon Trail very quickly intersects with the New Almaden Trail which you will turn on.
Head to Sunol Wilderness Regional Preserve for more great views!
The Alltrails route shows a left turn onto the New Almaden Trail, but we turned right, and I think it worked out pretty well!
The New Almaden Trail:
If you decide to turn right on the New Almaden Trail as we did, you’ll be hiking through forest with occasional views of San Jose on your right. The trail here isn’t too steep, and it’s pretty wooded, so it’s a pleasant walk. This section of the hike is only about half a mile, and you’ll quickly turn left onto the Cinnabar Trail
The Cinnabar Trail:
The Cinnabar Trail isn’t long, and you’ll be done with it after only about .1 miles! But, in that tenth of a mile, you’ll gain about 100 feet of elevation. Doesn’t sound like much but that’s actually quite a bit for that short of a distance!
For more great views of San Jose, head to Monte Bello Open Space Reserve!
The trail is very steep, and exposed to the sun, so it can get really hot on a summer afternoon. Even in April when we did this hike it was pretty hot climbing in the direct sunlight! After your tenth of a mile climbing, you’ll turn onto the Mine Hill Trail.
The Mine Hill Trail:
While you’ve had some nice views of San Jose so far on this hike, the beginning of the Mine Hill Trail is when you’ll get the best views of nature on the loop! Beneath you, you’ll see the Guadalupe Reservoir with the hills of the Santa Cruz Mountains behind! There’s a nice bench there to sit at, and it makes a good first place to stop!
After a short hike along the Mine Hill Trail, you’ll then turn left onto the Randol Trail. Just when the Mine Hill Trail begins climbing, that’s when you’ll see the left hand turn you need to take!
The Randol Trail:
The section of the Randol Trail you are hiking on is a mile and a half of gravel road through the hills. Most of it is in the forest, so you won’t have much for wide open views, but it’s pretty flat and smooth so you can cover quite a bit of ground pretty quickly. The forest is nice, and on a hot day you’ll enjoy the reprieve from the sun!
After about a mile and a half, you’ll come to an intersection that has a few different options. You can continue straight, turn right uphill, or turn left and head towards a beautifully perched picnic table! While it’s not clearly marked, head towards the picnic table!
Prospect #3 Trail:
The Prospect #3 Trail intersects the Randol Trail, and climbs uphill as well as descends down. There is a sign clearly pointing uphill, but there isn’t anything pointing downhill. You’ll want to head towards the picnic table, another great place to stop! I would recommend this as your second stop of the day!
After stopping at the picnic table, the trail is actually kind of hard to see, but it drops down the hill west of the table. This is the steepest section of the hike, and while it’s tough on the knees, it’s a pretty short descent and will be over before you know it.
After the short descent on the Prospect #3 Trail, you’ll reencounter the New Almaden Trail which will take you back to the trailhead. Turn left at the intersection!
The New Almaden Trail (part 2):
After rejoining the New Almaden Trail, you’ll have about 1.8 miles back to the trailhead. The New Almaden Trail from this point is predominantly downhill, which might make your knees scream a little!
The remainder of trail is mostly a walk through the woods with sporadic views of San Jose. You’ll actually be able to look down into some of the neighborhoods at people’s houses!
Eventually, you’ll end up at the Webb Canyon Trail and from there it’s a quick jaunt back to your car!
Topdown Lifestyle Rating: 7/10
Overall, this is a nice hike that would be great if I lived close by, and I don’t regret doing it at all. That being said, I probably won’t do it again. I prefer to get away from the city a little more, and this hike doesn’t provide the solitude that I generally look for. If I lived in the area, this would be a great hike that I would do over and over, but since I don’t live in the neighborhood, I probably won’t go back.
But any day on the trail is a good day!
Pros:
- Easy access
- Good views
- Smooth well graded trail
Cons:
- Weird parking situation
- Not very remote
- Can be very hot in summer
Alternative Hikes:
Monte Bello Open Space Preserve Loop
Bear Creek Summit via Madrone Knoll Trail
When to Visit Almaden Quicksilver County Park:
Almaden Quicksilver County Park is a 4 season destination; however, each season will give you different conditions. Winter will provide the coolest temperatures, but will have the most rain, and therefore the most mud. Expect winter days to be anywhere from the 50s to the 70s. Spring is a bit warmer and a bit drier, and would be an awesome time to visit. Summer is the hottest month, and conditions could easily reach into the 80’s or even 90’s on extreme days. Fall will yield cooler temperatures as the season progresses, but has the biggest fire risk.
When choosing a time to visit, one unique thing to consider is the condition of the vegetation. The grass covered hills spend all of summer and fall looking burnt and brown as the summer and fall are the driest months. Winter and spring to me are the best months to visit Almaden Quicksilver County Park as the hills turn a beautiful green as the rain comes. Beware of mud after heavy rain days, but for me, winter and spring are the best times to visit.
Links for Further Reading:
Almaden Quicksilver County Park – Parks and Recreation – County of Santa Clara
Best trails in Almaden Quicksilver County Park, California
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